1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, screen display method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium and, more particularly, to a display method of a plurality of screens in a plurality of application execution environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, computer operation environments grow in diversity. Information inputs using a keyboard and mouse, which are conventionally used, are available, while computers which adopt information inputs by unit of touch operations using human fingers using capacitance type touch panels are also increasing. For example, Windows8® as an OS (Operating System) available from Microsoft® Corporation, U.S.A. allows a single computer to implement these operation environments having different aspects.
On the other hand, an operation environment which is suited to be basically used by a mouse and keyboard by simultaneously displaying a plurality of windows on a single display is available. In Windows8®, this operation environment is called “Desktop environment”. Furthermore, an application which runs on the Desktop environment is called a Desktop application. Also, an operation environment which is suited to be used by a touch operation of a human finger by displaying operation buttons and the like used to receive operations in a large size, and allowing one application to basically occupy one display is available. In Windows8®, this operation environment is called “Metro environment”. Furthermore, an application which runs on the Metro environment is called a Metro application.
Then, with the advent of the Metro environment, a new operation method is adopted as an application running method. Conventionally, a menu called a start menu is displayed on a part of a display, and a menu item of corresponding one of various applications is selected to run that application. In Windows8®, a dedicated screen (Metro tile screen) used to run an application is fully displayed on one display, and each application is registered as a shortcut called a tile required to run an application. On each tile, an application can notify the user of information (for example, surrounding weather information, a printer status, and the like).
On the other hand, a plurality of displays can be connected to a single computer. An application which runs on the conventional Desktop environment can display a window at an arbitrary position on one of the plurality of displays. Also, by holding the previous closed position of the window, the application which runs on the conventional Desktop environment displays the window at the same position as the closed position when it displays the window for the next time. Furthermore, the application sets on which of the plurality of displays it displays the window, and displays the window according to that setting. The aforementioned control can enhance visibility to improve the user's operation efficiency (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-86586).
However, when an environment based on the premise that one display is occupied like the Metro environment is included upon displaying a window by running a Desktop application, the visibility cannot be enhanced by only displaying the window at the previous closed position or designated position. Especially, when a plurality of displays are connected to a computer, unwanted or unexpected screen switching occurs, thus lowering user's operability.
For example, when a Desktop application is to run from the Metro tile screen, a display which displays the Metro tile screen is switched to display the Desktop screen, thus displaying a window of the Desktop application. Furthermore, when another Desktop application is to run, the user has to re-display the Metro tile screen and to make a running operation of that Desktop application, resulting in troublesome operations.
The same problem occurs when a Metro application and Desktop application are used together. For example, when the user runs a cooperating Desktop application from a Metro application, a display which displays the Metro application is switched to display the Desktop screen. In order to simultaneously display and use both the Metro application and Desktop application, the user moves a window of the Desktop application which has already run in advance onto a display which is different from a display which displays the Metro application. Then, the user has to re-display the Metro application, resulting in troublesome operations.